Rise in Anti-semitic Incidents in Latin America Discussed by Leaders

December 21, 1961

BUENOS AIRES (Dec. 20)

The recent upsurge in anti-Semitic incidents in several Latin American countries and the position of the Jewish communities in the fluid social and economic developments on the continent were discussed at length at an extraordinary session here today of the South American executive of the World Jewish Congress.

The session heard reports from Engineer Knopholz of Curitiba, Brazil, where a Jewish cemetery was desecrated recently and from Dr. Marc Meltzer of Porto Alegre where tombstones in the Jewish cemetery were defaced in October.

Other reports on the situation were presented by Dr. Isaac Goldenberg, president of the DALA, the central representative body of Argentine Jewry, Dr. Nathan Lerner and Jose Weinstein of Montevideo, Uruguay. Dr. Votech Winterstein of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil, and Mark Turkow of the World Jewish Congress. Jewish communities of Chile and Paraguay also were represented. General Joseph Avidar, Israel’s Ambassador to Argentina, was guest of honor. Dr. Moises Goldman of the South American executive, presided.